A Carlton tragic

[Chemical]

Sorry about the grammar in this. English and I don't mix too well.

I remember at the end of the season listening to our song over and over again. We didn't win, but hearing it brought up a couple of questions;

Why do I support this club?
Do I have the faith and passion to continue?
Will we ever be successful again?

My head was spinning for answers and I seriously lost some spirit, passion and fight for the club that I loved. The past few years have tested my loyalty towards this mighty club where each week we would just get flogged. It got to the point of knowing to pencil in a loss. The club that had beaten Essendon in the Prelim in '99 and again a few years later with a team of uninjured no-names had fallen. I honestly shed a tear.

I was there for the Brisbane game this year. I remember telling my old man (before we sacked Pagan, which everyone knew was coming) that Carlton should fold. As weird or ignorant that sounds -they were pathetic, no one should deny that. They were not the football club I fell in love with.

I just hope that we can blame this on Pagan. Going from player reports, there was a lot wrong with him. I hope Ratten and Judd and Fevola revive this once-powerful club. I still have the spirit and passion and I want that feeling back of not even questioning a win before the weekend. I want to go to sleep knowing how many wins are needed for a top-4 spot.

I recently had my 21st birthday and was given two Carlton spirit glasses. I drank one on my birthday. The other glass will be left for #17.

 

[Blueinblood]

Sorry about the grammar in this. English and I don't mix too well.

I remember at the end of the season listening to our song over and over again. We didn't win, but hearing it brought up a couple of questions;

Why do I support this club?
Do I have the faith and passion to continue?
Will we ever be successful again?

My head was spinning for answers and I seriously lost some spirit, passion and fight for the club that I loved. The past few years have tested my loyalty towards this mighty club where each week we would just get flogged. It got to the point of knowing to pencil in a loss. The club that had beaten Essendon in the Prelim in '99 and again a few years later with a team of uninjured no-names had fallen. I honestly shed a tear.

I was there for the Brisbane game this year. I remember telling my old man (before we sacked Pagan, which everyone knew was coming) that Carlton should fold. As weird or ignorant that sounds -they were pathetic, no one should deny that. They were not the football club I fell in love with.

I just hope that we can blame this on Pagan. Going from player reports, there was a lot wrong with him. I hope Ratten and Judd and Fevola revive this once-powerful club. I still have the spirit and passion and I want that feeling back of not even questioning a win before the weekend. I want to go to sleep knowing how many wins are needed for a top-4 spot.

I recently had my 21st birthday and was given two Carlton spirit glasses. I drank one on my birthday. The other glass will be left for #17.

same...at leat it guaranteed me at leat 22 picks in footy tipping each year

 

[Artie Bucco]

same...at leat it guaranteed me at leat 22 picks in footy tipping each year

don't you mean 18

 

[audas]

There were compounding factors. In that each one side by side will have its own negative effect, but on top of each other they multiply.

Our team was heading for a slide, all teams do, but should only be a couple of years maybe three at worst. This compounding is what affected us.

• Poor strategy in going for top up players rather than long term replacements.
  
• Poor actual drafting when we did go for youth. (The combo of these two was our biggest issue no doubt).
  
• The draft penalties.
  
• Retirements
  
• Coach to player disharmony
  
• Coaching strategy beyond its use-by date
  
• Coach to coach disharmony
  
• Finance-facilities
  
• Confidence
  
• Board was in a shambles

Pretty much in that order to. Pagan was bad, but our list was appalling.

Now we have worked through every single one of these issues, except the last. And this can be rectified in round one.

Things can stagnate in footy for a long time, and that's where many get caught - thinking things will never change - but when things turn around it happens fast, very fast.

Teams that don't turn around have not addressed underlying causes and this is what always needs to be done in a revamp. Changing the players wont do squat if you don't change the tactics, coach, outlook, objectives, thinking.

We have done everything, and the team that walks onto the field for 2008 has no bearing on the team that walked off the field in 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002...it is a completely different outfit. One year, one off season means that much. Perhaps not year to year - fair enough -but when you have turned the corner, it is just that.

I don't need to list all the great players coming to the blues this year, but remember that just as the negatives compound to make matters worse, so to do positives. Judd, Stevens, will encourage and alleviate pressure throughout the team. Better delivery all round means better receipt, better disposal means more time and poise, adding to the delivery and receipt in a positive feed back loop.
The elevated confidence will instil a confidence to attack in the back line, to know that your mistake will not cost the earth will lift backs, and the confidence of the flow into the forwards ,who, instead of being relied on to score, will now simply be one of many contributing to the goal-ward attacks.

Forget about the past, others are there to remind us of it, and rest assured they will not let you forget it, especially next year when we are resurgent.

Remember this also: if we win 8 games next season, that's twice as much glory than last year, and we're only three games away from being a fifty fifty every week.

 

[Chemical]

Heres hoping audas. Every pre season I have been optimistic about our chances but next year will be different. Gibbs Murphy Judd Fevola. Our Fantastic Four!

 

[Blues_Man]

I was there for the Brisbane game this year. I remember telling my old man (before we sacked Pagan, which everyone knew was coming) that Carlton should fold. .

Your old man should have slapped you like a red headed stepchild !
The Carlton Football club have a LONG proud and successful history..the pleasure they have given us supporters over the years could never be dimmed by a few years of suffering at the bottom of the table ..eveyone who is Carlton know that they will never keep this great club down for long ..it is only a matter of time ..to even consider killing off our club is sacriledge.

How the bloody hell would you go being a footscray, Melbourne, or Saints supporter ?..most of whom have never seen their side win a GF ..and yet they stick through thick and thin .

poor form on your behalf

 

[Chemical]

Your old man should have slapped you like a red headed stepchild !
The Carlton Football club have a LONG proud and successful history..the pleasure they have given us supporters over the years could never be dimmed by a few years of suffering at the bottom of the table ..eveyone who is Carlton know that they will never keep this great club down for long ..it is only a matter of time ..to even consider killing off our club is sacriledge.

How the bloody hell would you go being a footscray, Melbourne, or Saints supporter ?..most of whom have never seen their side win a GF ..and yet they stick through thick and thin .

poor form on your behalf

I love my club as much as anyone else. Its not about winning a GF. The last few years, we have been the worst team in history. It wasn't Carlton was it? Why would I want to see my club that has a LONG and successful history get thrashed and give up every week?

 

[HBF]

I was there for the Brisbane game this year. I remember telling my old man (before we sacked Pagan, which everyone knew was coming) that Carlton should fold. As weird or ignorant that sounds -they were pathetic, no one should deny that. They were not the football club I fell in love with.

I was there as well. Absolute disgusting performance by the boys. At least one good thing came from it - Pagan getting the arse!

 

[Monkey King]

I love my club as much as anyone else. Its not about winning a GF. The last few years, we have been the worst team in history. It wasn't Carlton was it? Why would I want to see my club that has a LONG and successful history get thrashed and give up every week?

Mate, I don't think that's right. It sounds to me like questioning why you support Carlton was questioning your love for the club. If you love someone, you have to stick around for the bad times, in fact, you want to be there for the bad times. Even when that person is acting like a dick, you will still love them.

**** the fairweather friends!

 

[Kmasn]

The Carlton Football club have a LONG proud and successful history..the pleasure they have given us supporters over the years could never be dimmed by a few years of suffering at the bottom of the table ..eveyone who is Carlton know that they will never keep this great club down for long ..it is only a matter of time ..to even consider killing off our club is sacriledge.

i dont think any real supporter would ever want to see the club fold or merge, but ya gotta remember some of us in our late teens early 20's were only very young during our last success of 95, and even 99 is a hazy memory. we haven't truely experienced carlton for what it truely is, and that is successful. since ive been old enough to really understand football, carlton was been nothing short of pathetic. i still go to plenty of games and tape all the replays on foxtel even when we do get drubbed, but it does get tiresome after a while. its easy for the older folk to say its ok we'll be back, but some of us havent experienced the real arrogance and success culture you all talk about.

i hope that one day we do, and i have a feeling its not too far away at all

 

[Monkey King]

i dont think any real supporter would ever want to see the club fold or merge, but ya gotta remember some of us in our late teens early 20's were only very young during our last success of 95, and even 99 is a hazy memory. we haven't truely experienced carlton for what it truely is, and that is successful. since ive been old enough to really understand football, carlton was been nothing short of pathetic. i still go to plenty of games and tape all the replays on foxtel even when we do get drubbed, but it does get tiresome after a while. its easy for the older folk to say its ok we'll be back, but some of us havent experienced the real arrogance and success culture you all talk about.

i hope that one day we do, and i have a feeling its not too far away at all

That's kinda sad. It reminds me of my niece circa 2002-03 when her Collingwood supporting teacher, backed by Magpie classmates, began to have her questioning why she was supporting a team that lost all the time. Can you believe, we almost lost one of our flock to Collingwood of all teams.

Lucky a quick education in the history of premiership failure and success along with some gentle pressure from extended family members convinced her to remain loyal to the navy blue.

 

[Chemical]

i dont think any real supporter would ever want to see the club fold or merge, but ya gotta remember some of us in our late teens early 20's were only very young during our last success of 95, and even 99 is a hazy memory. we haven't truely experienced carlton for what it truely is, and that is successful. since ive been old enough to really understand football, carlton was been nothing short of pathetic. i still go to plenty of games and tape all the replays on foxtel even when we do get drubbed, but it does get tiresome after a while. its easy for the older folk to say its ok we'll be back, but some of us havent experienced the real arrogance and success culture you all talk about.

i hope that one day we do, and i have a feeling its not too far away at all

All good points. 95 was a blur of crappy Hyundai hats and I don't even remember 99 at all.

People were going on about don't forget the past success, well don't forget the 5 years of shit that we have been through. Its all rosey now but don't say you weren't hurting (I'm sure there is a Paganism for that). Most of the comments are too quickly to forget. I love this club, most people have seen more success than my age bracket but don't call me a fairweather supporter.

To clarify, I didn't want Carlton to fold, it just got to the point that the way they were, they should have. My opinion, get off your high horses but I'm very glad that they didn't and consider it a stupid thought now!

 

[MBIB]

ROFL to this comment:

Your old man should have slapped you like a red headed stepchild !

Thalidomide it's a really honest post. My passion and love for the club is always there but I also have been stretched throughout the past few seasons. I also have been really excited the past few off-seasons yet only to bitterly disappointed at so many games. Walking out of grounds with my head bowed or kicking tree trunks on the way out of the G.

Look (or read) around you, we love the club because of the elation we feel when the cookie crumbles our way and we get to sing that song when the siren rings. Read the 'greatest h&a wins' and '99 Prelim' threads and it brings it all back and we remember why we barrack for the greatest club in the land.

 

[Blue Dawn]

All good points. 95 was a blur of crappy Hyundai hats and I don't even remember 99 at all.

People were going on about don't forget the past success, well don't forget the 5 years of shit that we have been through. Its all rosey now but don't say you weren't hurting (I'm sure there is a Paganism for that). Most of the comments are too quickly to forget. I love this club, most people have seen more success than my age bracket but don't call me a fairweather supporter.

To clarify, I didn't want Carlton to fold, it just got to the point that the way they were, they should have. My opinion, get off your high horses but I'm very glad that they didn't and consider it a stupid thought now!

God bless 'em. I can't wait to see some more of those crappy Hyundai GF hats!

 

[TruBlue]

A Carlton tragic would not question his loyalty to his club.

 

[BlueBelle]

I'm a Carlton tragic